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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can ... - WordPress.com

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philosopher, the extrovert as fearlessleader? <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>trovert as poet or sciencenerd, the extrovert as jock or cheerleader?Aren’t we all a little <strong>of</strong> both?Psychologists call this the “personsituation”debate: Do fixed personalitytraits really exist, or do they shift accord<strong>in</strong>gto the situation <strong>in</strong> whichpeople f<strong>in</strong>d themselves? If you talk toPr<strong>of</strong>essor Little, he’ll tell you that despitehis public persona and his teach<strong>in</strong>gaccolades, he’s a true blue, <strong>of</strong>f-thecharts<strong>in</strong>trovert, not only behaviorallybut also neurophysiologically (he tookthe lemon juice test I described <strong>in</strong>chapter 4 and salivated right on cue).This would seem to place him squarelyon the “person” side <strong>of</strong> the debate:Little believes that personality traits exist,that they shape our lives <strong>in</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>oundways, that they’re based onphysiological mechanisms, and that582/929

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